Circular knitting machine



21 1939- A. NEUHAUSS r 2,157,300

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 19:56 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 I fwve'n'l'o'r: Arthur NeuLauas After-nay Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Arthur Neuhauss, Burgstadt, Germany Application April 9, 1936, Serial No. 73,557

In Germany. April -18, 1935 1 Claim. (CL 8624) or ribbed goods in any desired alternation.

In known knitting machines of this kind the rib or dial-needles cannot be properly adjusted to difierent positions, such as is necessary, for instance for the making of the heel-parts of hosiery and for the purpose of pattern knitting.

In order to considerably increase the possibilities of use of the aforesaid type of knitting machines, according to this invention adjusting jacks are used for the adjustment of machineparts reciprocating in radial direction with respect to the axis of the machine and, more particularly, for the adjustment of the rib or dialneedles. Said adjusting jacks, moreover, are arranged in such a manner that each jack serves to actuate one of said machine-parts and to adjust the same in radial direction. The several adjusting jacks in this case may be connected either fixedly with or detachably from the respective-machine-part and are controlled by a cam so as to be individually adjustable into inoperative position in dependence from a patterndevice, irrespective of the temporary working condition of the remaining jacks, such as the loop transfer-jacks. v

For this purpose the said adjusting jacks must be of a conformation providing a proper space underneath the cam that serves for the control of the rib or dial-needles, said space being sufiicient to permit reception of the thread-guides and. regular operating motion thereof.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented an exemplificaticn of a circular knitting machine forming part of my present invention. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a partial axial section through my new circular knitting machine showing essentially the parts necessary for the proper understanding of this invention, the knitting machine as shown being of the type having a rotating cylinder and rib-dial and fixed cams controlling the needles, Fig. 2 a detail frontview of the cam controlling therib or dialneedles, while Fig. 3 is a similar detail view showing the cam controlling the cylinder-needles or transfer jacks in dependence from" a patterndevice.

Fig. 4 shows in partial, axial section a portion of Fig. 1 as regards jack, rib-disk and gearing and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 4.

In the cylinder I there are provided either a like number or twice as many cylinder-needles 2 forming a cylinder needle circle as there are ribneedles [in the dial or rib disc 3. Loop transfer-jacks 5 and 6 are associated, as usual, with said cylinder-needles 2 and with said rib or dialneedles 4, respectively. Said loop transfer-jacks 5 and 6 are preferably of U-shaped cross-section enclosing the respective needles land 4 on three sides thereof. The parts of jacks 5 and 6 positioned underneathsaid needles 2 and 4 do not extend as far as to the head of said needles. At

the foremost ends of both loop transfer-jacks latter and a disk 8 positioned somewhat underneath said rib-dial, said disk 8 being immovably suspended by means of 'a rod 9. At the upper side of said disk 8 and near the edge thereof there are the cam-parts, In with whichv the footmembers I of the loop transfer-jacks 6 come into engagement, if the latter are to be displaced in direction towards the axis of the machine. In opposite direction the loop transfer-jacks 6 are being moved by means of a finger l4 hinged to said disk 8, and controlled by rotation of the cam II. The cam H may be adjusted by a hollow shaft l2 surrounding said rod 9 and imparting to said cam ll upward and downward motion and, in addition, rotary motion about said rod 9. It would also be possible to arrange and construct the cam II and the finger 34 co-opcrating therewith in such a manner that the latter is pressed into operative position by mere lifting motion of said cam. Vertical motion of the cam I l and of the hollow shaft I2 is controlled by the usual pattem-drum or some other pattern-device, for instance a jacquard device the loop transfer-jacks 6 upon passing past said finger 34 will move towards the outside, thus transmitting the thread-loops or meshes from. the

dial-needles 4 onto the cylinder-needle. 2 positioned underneath the former, On the other hand, if the cam- II is movedlnto its undermost position and out orthe range of action of the foot-members I, the loop transfer-jacks 6 will remain in inoperative position. If it is desired to provide possibilities for working the machine with a greater number of patterns, the footmembers I of the several loop transfer-jacks 6 must be of different lengths and the cam II at the same time must be made adjustable into as many different heights so as to control, in acoordance with requirements, at a time a greater or smaller number of dial-needles by a proper number of, fingers 34. It would also be possible to arrange the foot-members 1 near the needles 4 at different distances from the axis of the machine and, accordingly, to provide for each group of such foo.-members a special cam H mounted on a telescoping shaft of which the several parts are adjustable independently from each other. In this case, also several of the loop transfer-jacks 6 may be equipped with a plurality of foot-members I of proper length. If,

furthermore, each group of foot-members 1 is.

to use foot-members 1 extending in upward direction. In this case, preferably the cam-parts Ill are fixedly connected with the cam-parts destined for the control of the rib or dial-needles, while the shaft l2 would have to surround the shaft l5 which carries at the under end thereof the rib-dial 3.

For the adjustment of the rib or dial-needles 4 serve the upwardly directed foot-members or extensions l6 provided on said needles. Said foot-members or extensions [6 project into a proper recess provided on the adjusting jacks H which, moreover, may also be fixedly connected with said needles and made of angular conformation to extend first in upward direction from the needles 4 and thereupon in horizontal direction away from the axis of the machine. The horizontally directed parts of the adjusting jacks H are mounted in slots on the guide-ring Hi to be adjustable in radial direction with respect to the axis of the machine. For each dial-needle 4 there is provided one adjusting jack I! which remains permanently connected with the respective dial-needle by meansof the foot-member or extension 16 thereon. The guide-ring or second rib disc l8, accordingly, is mounted rotatably on a supporting ring I! which is kept 'in position outside of the range of action of the adjusting jacks IT by means of three supporting pillars fixed on the base-plate of theknitting machine in the usual manner. The guide ring l8 rotates at an angular velocity equal to that of the rib-dial 3. For this purpose, a gear-wheel 20 is fixed to the shaft l5 at the upper end thereof, said gearwheel meshing with a pinion 22 fast on the shaft 2|. Fast on the shaft 2| is a further pinion 23 extending into a recess in the supporting ring I! and meshing with the toothed outer edge of the guide-ring IS. 'The shaft 2| is supported in the usual manner on the machine-frame and driven from the main machine-shaft.

Above the part of the adjusting jacks I! which is mounted in the guide-ring l8, there is provided a stationary cam 25 fixed to the machineframe. The foot-members 21 of the jacks I! extend into the guide-groove 26 of the cam 25 so that said jacks 11. upon one rotation of the guide-ring l8 and of the rib-dial 3, make one reciprocating motion, causing the dial-needles 4 to move with the adjusting jacks H by means of said foot-members l6 thereon.

The guide-groove 26 on the cam 25 is of such conformation that the foot-members 21 of those dial-needles 4 which at a time shall be kept in inoperative position may be transferred into a part 28 of the groove 26 which part is positioned nearer to the axis of the machine. For this purpose, at the outer end of the adjusting jacks I! there are provided one or more horizontally positioned auxiliary foot-members 29 which, if it should be found necessary, may be fixed to a vertically positioned transverse member 30 on said adjusting jacks I'I. Within the range of action 'of each of such auxiliary foot-members 21 arranged at different heights there is provided a horizontally slidable curved track-member on the machine-frame, said curved trackmember being not shown in the drawings. In accordance with the adjustment of'one or the other curved member which adjustment is effected by means of a pattern-device, for instance the usual pattern-drum, or a jacquard machine, said curved member may be adjusted into position within the range of action of the foot-members 29 passing past said curved member, so that selected jacks i1 and the dial-needles 4 appertaining thereto are adjusted in radial direction to come into inoperative position, with the result that no loops or meshes will be formed thereby and that instead of the rib-needles 4 now the cylinderneedles 2 positioned in the same axial plane will come into action. Fastened to the cam 25 are further two tongues and 36 of which the former is generally swung in outward direction causing outward motion of the dial-needles 4 to grip the thread which is kept in readiness for this purpose. The tongue 36 is moved by the pattern-drum somewhat towards the outside of the knitting machine from the position shown in the drawings, only in case the dial-needles 4- are to be moved back from inoperative into operative position.

With the aid of the just described auxiliary foot-members 29 it is possible to knit ribbed goods having ribs of a different width (1 x 1,

'2 x 2, 1 x 3 and so forth), or to knit the ribbed leg-parts of hosiery while knitting the heel-parts plain and to obtain in every case the desired width of the ribs.

Whenever the loops or meshes have to be transferred from an individual or from all dialneedles 4- to the cylinder-needle or needles 2 appertaining thereto, the foot members I of the loop transfer-jacks B are temporarily moved forward by means of the cam II in standing-up position of the latter. On the other hand, whenever loops or meshes have to be transferred back from definite cylinder-needles 2 to the dialneedles 4, the loop transfer-jacks 5 appertaining to the respective cylinder-needles are to be used. A transfer of loops or meshes comes into consideration not only during transit from plain to ribbed work, but may also be used in various ways for applying a pattern to the goods, for instance for knitting goods presenting a braided pattern. In order to produce the so-called royal pose the tongue 35 on the cam .25 is only rotated through one half of its full swing upon each second revolution of the main-shaft. and through its full swing during the intermediate working steps.

By means of the herein-described knitting machine knitted goods of all kinds may be made which heretofore had to be done with the more expensive double-cylinder-machines. An adjusting device similar to that described hereinaboye in connection with the dial-needles may alsci be employed for actuating the loop transfer-jacks. An adjusting device of this kind, however, may also be employed in case the dial and cylinder-needles are not associated with loop transfer-jacks, and this even in case said dialneedles are not positioned within, but outside of the needle-cylinder.

For the laying of the threads there is used a thread-guide in the form of a small tube 32 fast on the lever 3|. This lever can be adjusted to assume a higher position, in case the threadguide is to be put out of action. Also 'any desired number of thread-guides may be arranged side by side and put into and out of operation in accordance with a pattern-device. As already indicated the outer ends of the Jacks I1 are provided with a plurality of foot members 29, see Figs. 4 and 5. Within reach of the foot members 29 are to be found guide levers 40. The three guide levers 40 each corresponding to one of the foot members 29 are pivoted on so bolts 4|, which are mounted on a bearing 42 secured on the machine stand. The edges of the uide levers 40 facing the foot members H are given such shape that when the guide levers, as seen in Fig. 5, stand near the cam 25, the corresponding foot member 29 lying above is pushed 1 away, and as a consequence the Jack I! with the rib-needles belonging thereto may be set in the I position of rest from the operating position.

The displacement of the guide levers 44 takes place by means of individual cam-disks 48, their projecting lugs or teeth 44 actuating correguide ring I8;

spending teeth 45 facing them on the guide levers 40 as soon as the said teeth 44 arrive within reach of the teeth 45.

The three cam disks 43 are fixed on a hollow shaft 46 which is mounted to revolve around a 5 bolt 41 secured in the bearing 42'and carries at its lower end a toother wheel 48. The latter meshes with a pinion 49 which is mounted to revolve freely on the bolt 4| and in turn meshes with the toothed wheel 24, rigidly connected with the 10 When the gear wheel 24 there-, fore turns around the machine axis, then the intermediary of the wheel 49, also the wheel 48 as well as the hollow shaft 46 and the cam disk 43 fixed on the latter, turn so that thereby the i6 guide levers 40, at a certain time, are brought into position of operation, while a spring 50 aims to withdraw each guide lever 40 out of reach of the foot members 29.

I claim: 20 A circular knittingmachine comprisng a cylinder needle circle, a rib disc arranged inside the circle, a guide ring arranged 'coaxially with the first-mentioned rib disc, rib needles guided and mounted in the rib disc, cylinder needles oppo- 25 site the rib needles, a plurality of adjusting jacks guided in said guidering, a cam associated with said guide ring for moving said adjusting jacks, stitch transferring jacks associated both with the rib needles and also with the cylinder needles, 30 a cam having an adjustable tongue adapted to force said adjusting jacks, from the inoperative to the operative position,. foot members of uniform length arranged on said adjusting jacks and directed radially outwardly, and a pattern 35 device arranged within the range of said foot members adapted to move the adjusting jaeksin ARTHUR NEUHAUSS. 40 

